Courage

Proverbs 28:1 – The righteous are bold as a lion.

There are two types of righteousness (if we omit the hypocritical, false righteousness of the ungodly and formally religious): the imputed righteousness of Christ to all who believe in Jesus Christ, and the practical righteousness of the faithful who live in obedience to God. The second type is the inevitable result of the first.

There is no such thing, biblically, as a person made righteous by Christ who does not live righteously. This statement always gets the response about no one being perfect and sinlessness only being attainable in heaven, and that is true. But we must never excuse our sin on the basis of its inevitability. The Bible is equally strong on the fact that true believers are changed people. They do not live as they once did. They live a righteous, albeit not sinless, life.

Such living brings courage. We are trusting God for the salvation of our souls. We are hanging on to Him through faith in Jesus Christ because we know that there is nothing we can do to merit salvation ourselves. We rejoice that God has counted us with the righteousness of Jesus Christ, knowing that all ours is as filthy rags.

If we can trust God to do that immensely huge thing, then we should never be fearful of mere humans. Given what God has already guaranteed us for eternity the machinations of humans against us should never bother us.

Luke 12:4-7

“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. [5] But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! [6] Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. [7] Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.